They have to do what they have to do

WARNER MUSIC GROUP Completes Acquisition of ROADRUNNER MUSIC GROUP - Jan. 29, 2007

Warner Music Group Corp. today (Jan. 29) announced the completion of its acquisition of 73.5 percent of Amsterdam-based Roadrunner Music Group B.V., which includes Roadrunner Records, one of the leading hard rock and heavy metal labels.

The Roadrunner acquisition was originally announced on December 18, 2006. The transaction was subject to regulatory approval in Germany, which has now been obtained.

Roadrunner will operate as a freestanding label group within WMG's Atlantic Records Group. Roadrunner Managing Director Cees Wessels continues to run the company he founded.

Lyor Cohen, WMG's Chairman and CEO of U.S. Recorded Music, said in a previous press release, "Very rarely do you find a record company with such a longstanding reputation and distinct viewpoint that its very name rises to the level of true brand. Roadrunner, from its strong artist roster to its deep catalog and first-rate creative team, embodies the hard rock aesthetic to its core. Cees and I shared great success when we brought Roadrunner into the IDJ family in 2001, so naturally I'm thrilled today to welcome Cees and his team to Warner Music Group. We look forward to building upon Roadrunner's 25 years of success together."

Initially founded in the Netherlands in 1980, Roadrunner Records has earned its place as one of the most prominent international independent record labels. The Roadrunner catalog boasts early releases from such seminal artists as KING DIAMOND, TYPE O NEGATIVE, SEPULTURA and ANNIHILATOR. More recently, the label has experienced unprecedented success with multi-platinum artists NICKELBACK and SLIPKNOT, gold-certified STONE SOUR and KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, as well as modern heavy hitters BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, TRIVIUM and MACHINE HEAD. Though primarily known as a metal and hard rock label, Roadrunner's roster also includes acts such as THE DRESDEN DOLLS and newcomers MADINA LAKE.

Roadrunner has been at the forefront of the hard music genre for more than 25 years, a genre that has outpaced the overall U.S. industry. According to NPD MusicWatch, hard rock/heavy metal has experienced the greatest increase in market share of any subgenres of rock in 2006 over the prior year.

In four of the last five years, Roadrunner has had at least one of the five top-selling hard music acts in the U.S. with releases from NICKELBACK. With the acquisition of Roadrunner, WMG has the top three labels in hard music based on 2006 SoundScan figures: Warner Bros. at No. 1; Atlantic at No. 2; and Roadrunner at No. 3.

Still headquartered in the Netherlands, Roadrunner occupies offices in New York, now the A&R hub for the label, as well as the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, Japan and Australia.

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I agree with one of the comment:

posted by : volumefour

1/29/2007 5:57:02 PM

This kind of acquisition does not surprise me, especially the way the music industry is now. Sure the Roadrunner supporters from the 80's until now are going to feel like Roadrunner completely sold out, but Roadrunner has been going like this since 2001 when they merged with Universal Music and Video Distribution, and the Island Def Jam Music group. I remember when Roadunner went through Relativity Entertainment Distribution (RED) for distribution, then they changed their logo in 1999, and that was a hint that the label would go through many more changes.

All of the above is just business as usual for a growing label like Roadrunner Records. I still respect the label, especially for what they started. They have put out some of the greatest Metal albums to date like: Burn My Eyes and the rest of the Machine Head catalog, Beneath The Remains, Arise, and Chaos A.D. from Sepultura, the Mercyful Fate and King Diamond catalog, Soul Of A New Machine and Demanufacture from Fear Factory, Retribution and The Ten Commandments from Malevolent Creation, the Obituary catalog, the first Slipknot album, and many more. They also have had some decent up-and-coming artists--some who are not with the label anymore-- like Killswitch Engage, Chimaira, the Roadrunner United project, and now Daath. What it amounts down to is a label has to stay on top of changes especially with the digital music climate, and just channels of distribution in general.

I used to bitch about business changes in the music industry like what Roadrunner has done, but hey look they are still going strong.
Now I bitch about the reduction of mom and pop record stores, and just record stores in general. I really hope music retail does not become obsolete. That is the only change I truly fear about the music industry.

As far as Metal Blade being owned by Warner Brothers Music. In the early 1990's--from 1990 through 1994, or 1995--Metal Blade Records did a joint venture with Warner Brothers Records. The Goo-Goo dolls (even though they had problems with that deal) were one of the first groups to have the Metal Blade and Warner Brothers logo on their album. Metal Blade and Warner Brothers also released some reissues like Psalm 9 and The Skull from Trouble, Stormbringer from Deep Purple, and a few others. Some other albums released with the Metal Blade and Warner Brothers logo are: In The Shadows from Mercyful Fate, Elements from Atheist, Symbol Of Salvation from Armored Saint, and a couple of others. Warner Brothers Records actually manufactured and distributed a selection of titles with Metal Blade. Metal Blade being the label, and Warner Brothers (WEA) being the manufacturer and distributor.

Roadrunner still rules though. They were a groundbreaking label, now they have to do what they have to do to survive in the sinking music business.

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i guess its a good thing our very own Sonic Asylum Records,/VSP/ Dark Journey tak sempat sampai tahap ni!
dont u think?